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89-606: The Percival P.56 Provost is a basic trainer aircraft that was designed and manufactured by British aviation company Percival . During the 1950s, the Provost was developed for the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a replacement for the Percival Prentice . Designed by Henry Millicer , it was a single-engined low-wing monoplane , furnished with a fixed, tailwheel undercarriage and, like the preceding Prentice, had

178-1065: A radar display based on this information. The aim of programmable displays is to speed pilot training by replicating as far as possible the systems a pilot will find in an operational aircraft. Lead-in fighter training (LIFT) utilises advanced jet trainer aircraft with avionics and stores-management capability that emulate operational fighter planes, to provide efficient training in combat scenarios with reduced training costs compared to moving straight to operational conversion. The on-board avionics system may be linked to ground-based systems, and together they can simulate situations such as infrared or radar guided missile, interceptors, air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles, anti-aircraft batteries, radars, chaff and flare countermeasures and collision warnings, in low or dense electronic warfare environments. Systems may also be able to re-enact true-to-life combat situations. Most military jet-powered combat aircraft have two-seat trainer versions. These are combat capable operational conversion aircraft types to provide on

267-400: A light aircraft , with two or more seats to allow for a student and instructor. The two seating configurations for trainer aircraft are: pilot and instructor side by side, or in tandem, usually with the pilot in front and the instructor behind. The side-by-side seating configuration has the advantage that the pilot and instructor can see each other's actions, allowing the pilot to learn from

356-714: A Primary trainer, of which the Stearman PT-13 /PT-17 is the best known, a Basic trainer such as the Vultee BT-13 , and an advanced trainer such as the well known North American AT-6 Texan, which would also be widely exported to the Commonwealth countries as the Harvard. In addition, production of various combat types was diverted to training although considerable effort was made to cover all possible types of training with purpose built types. The British organized

445-459: A candidate may progress to basic, or primary, trainers. These are usually turboprop trainers, like the Pilatus PC-9 and Embraer Tucano . Modern turboprop trainers can replicate the handling characteristics of jet aircraft as well as having sufficient performance to assess a candidate's technical ability at an aircraft's controls, reaction speed and the ability to anticipate events. Prior to

534-439: A candidate seeks to develop their flying skills. In operational training the candidate learns to use their flying skills through simulated combat, attack and fighter techniques. Typically, contemporary military pilots learn initial flying skills in a light aircraft not too dissimilar from civilian training aircraft. In this phase pilot candidates are screened for mental and physical attributes. Aircraft used for this purpose include

623-411: A combination of pushing forwards on the stick and applying full rudder , while a spin could be deliberately induced by pulling hard back on the stick and applying opposite force using the rudder. The ailerons are used to perform various manoeuvres; a full roll can be performed in four seconds via full aileron deflection. Both the ailerons and elevators are relatively light compared with contemporary peers;

712-706: A fast jet design and manufacturing capability. With increasing costs, even major air forces will have difficulty reaching the economies of scale to justify development of new advanced trainers. Nations will be required to continue to push the modernisation of existing aircraft (some such as the Hawk dating from the 1970s) or co-operate in the development and procurement of advanced training aircraft. Furthermore, they must better utilise funding available by developing aircraft with an enhanced combat capability by producing operational single-seat variants, and better utilise aircraft on inventory incorporating operational systems either within

801-432: A file. Diana Muir believes that North's milling machine was online around 1816. Muir, Merritt Roe Smith, and Robert B. Gordon all agree that before 1832 both Simeon North and John Hall were able to mass-produce complex machines with moving parts (guns) using a system that entailed the use of rough-forged parts, with a milling machine that milled the parts to near-correct size, and that were then "filed to gage by hand with

890-516: A firearms contract with interchangeable parts using the American System , but historians Merritt Roe Smith and Robert B. Gordon have since determined that Whitney never actually achieved interchangeable parts manufacturing. His family's arms company, however, did so after his death. Mass production using interchangeable parts was first achieved in 1803 by Marc Isambard Brunel in cooperation with Henry Maudslay and Simon Goodrich, under

979-448: A fully- castering tailwheel. It was developed to provide training that was better-suited to the increasingly-complicated operational aircraft that were then being brought into service. The main two seats in the cockpit were positioned in a side-by-side configuration, enabling the instructor to sit directly alongside the student, easing training by allowing for mutual close observation and for flight procedures to be more readily demonstrated;

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1068-504: A graduated training regimen is not just monetary but also in lives. For example, for many years the Indian Air Force operated without a suitable advanced training aircraft, leading to a high casualty rate as pilots moved to high performance MiG-21 aircraft without suitable assessment of their aptitude for supersonic flight. There are two main areas for instruction, flight training and operational training. In flight training

1157-534: A higher rate than those of the later British New Land Pattern musket and the American M1816 musket. Louis de Tousard , who fled the French Revolution, joined the U.S. Corp of Artillerists in 1795 and wrote an influential artillerist's manual that stressed the importance of standardization. Numerous inventors began to try to implement the principle Blanc had described. The development of

1246-469: A milling machine, Terry was able to mass-produce clock wheels and plates a few dozen at the same time. Jigs and templates were used to make uniform pinions, so that all parts could be assembled using an assembly line . The crucial step toward interchangeability in metal parts was taken by Simeon North , working only a few miles from Eli Terry . North created one of the world's first true milling machines to do metal shaping that had been done by hand with

1335-466: A pilot commission, but show other attributes, may be offered the chance to qualify as navigators and weapons officers. Smaller and more financially restricted air forces may use ultra-light aircraft , gliders and motor gliders for this role. The USAF Academy uses light piston-powered aircraft such as the Cirrus SR20 (designated T-53A) for basic cadet flight training. After the ab-initio phase

1424-519: A replacement for the Royal Air Force 's (RAF) existing fleet of Percival Prentice trainers. A major priority of the specification was to introduce more direct supervision and observation of student pilots by instructors in order to reduce the rate of late-stage dropouts. On 11 September 1948, this specification was issued, attracting the attention of various aviation companies; the Air Ministry ultimately received in excess of 30 proposals. Percival

1513-413: A scarce and difficult achievement into an everyday capability throughout the manufacturing industries. In the 1950s and 1960s, historians of technology broadened the world's understanding of the history of the development. Few people outside that academic discipline knew much about the topic until as recently as the 1980s and 1990s, when the academic knowledge began finding wider audiences. As recently as

1602-593: A side-by-side seating arrangement. First flying on 24 February 1950, the prototypes participated in an official evaluation, after which the type was selected to meet Air Ministry specification T.16/48 . The Provost entered service with the RAF during 1953 and quickly proved to be more capable than the preceding Prentice. It was a relatively successful aircraft, being exported for multiple overseas operators. Various models were developed, both armed and unarmed, to meet with customer demands. The Provost later adapted to make use of

1691-414: A third seat had been originally specified for use by an observer, but this position was later omitted following little use. The cockpit was considered to be relatively bulky amongst its contemporary rivals, a feature that did not heavily impinge upon the aircraft's overall performance. The type was designed to be easy to maintain; various components were intentionally interchangeable where possible and there

1780-490: A turbojet engine, producing the BAC Jet Provost . During the 1960s, the type was withdrawn from RAF service in favour of its jet-powered successor. It continued to be used for decades after with various export customers. The origins of the Provost can be found in the issuing of Air Ministry specification T.16/48 , which called for a single-engined basic trainer aircraft to meet Operational Requirement 257 , seeking

1869-415: A viable air defence fighter. As the capabilities of front-line aircraft have increased, this has been reflected in increasingly sophisticated advanced trainers. As the costs of developing new aircraft have risen in real terms, it has become more likely that fewer aircraft will be designed specifically for the training role. The advanced trainer was often seen as a stepping stone by most nations in developing

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1958-549: Is at this stage that a pilot begins to learn to operate radar systems and electronics. Modern advanced trainers feature programmable multi-function displays which can be programmed to simulate different electronic systems and scenarios. Most advanced trainers do not have radar systems of their own, but onboard systems can be programmed to simulate radar contacts. With datalinks and GPS , virtual radar systems can be created with similarly equipped aircraft relaying to each other their positions in real time and onboard computers creating

2047-488: The Système Gribeauval at the musket level. By around 1778, Honoré Blanc began producing some of the first firearms with interchangeable flintlock mechanisms , although they were carefully made by craftsmen. Blanc demonstrated in front of a committee of scientists that his muskets could be fitted with flintlock mechanisms picked at random from a pile of parts. In 1785 muskets with interchangeable locks caught

2136-645: The BAC Jet Provost / BAC Strikemaster and the Cessna T-37 Tweet / A-37 Dragonfly . Especially against opponents operating without a fighter screen or an effective anti-aircraft capability, such trainer derived attack aircraft could perform adequately. For example, Impala aircraft derived from the Aermacchi MB-326 trainer formed the main strike strength of the South African Air Force in its Bush war , and aircraft such as

2225-584: The Boeing 707 was a popular airliner for conversion to tanker, transport and ELINT variants by numerous air forces. A minority of military training aircraft, such as the Beechcraft 18 , Vickers Varsity , Hawker Siddeley Dominie and Boeing T-43 were developed from transport designs to train navigators and other rear crews operators. As these navigational trainees are normally learning how to navigate using instruments, they can be seated at consoles within

2314-592: The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan , which moved the bulk of aircrew training away from active war zones to Canada and elsewhere, where pilots started on the De Havilland Tiger Moth or Fleet Finch basic trainers before continuing on North American Harvards for advanced training, Avro Ansons , Airspeed Oxfords and Bristol Bolingbrokes for multi-engine as well as bombing training. Obsolete types such as

2403-902: The Fairey Battle and Westland Lysander were used for target towing, while other types such as the North American Yale were used for wireless operator (radio) training. Postwar, the United States operated the Beechcraft T-34 Mentor for basic flight training, while the United Kingdom operated the De Havilland Chipmunk . The North American T-28 Trojan replaced the T-6 in US service, while

2492-602: The First Punic War . Carthaginian ships had standardized, interchangeable parts that even came with assembly instructions akin to "tab A into slot B" marked on them. In the late-18th century, French General Jean-Baptiste Vaquette de Gribeauval promoted standardized weapons in what became known as the Système Gribeauval after it was issued as a royal order in 1765. (At the time the system focused on artillery more than on muskets or handguns .) One of

2581-568: The Hawker Hunter , English Electric Lightning , and North American F-100 Super Sabre . As air forces' combat fleets were scaled-down, it made sense for most national display teams to change to lighter training types. A few modifications may be needed to enable coloured smoke to be emitted during displays, but essentially these airframes can still perform their pilot training function. In smaller air forces basic trainers, in addition to being used for training, are used to provide air support in

2670-526: The Hongdu JL-8 are being acquired for the attack role in low intensity theatres. Despite their vulnerability, even small numbers of weapons-carrying trainer aircraft may achieve a disproportionate effect due to the element of surprise, especially when the attacked side believes to hold air supremacy. Forces that have used light trainer aircraft to great effect include the Biafran use of MFI-9s and

2759-570: The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam use of covertly acquired light aircraft. In high-intensity conflicts, advanced trainer type aircraft can have a military utility if they operate under an umbrella of other aerial assets. For example, the Franco-German Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet had an anti-shipping and light strike role when operating under an air umbrella provided by fighter aircraft, while

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2848-594: The Percival Provost filled a similar role with the RAF. Interchangeable parts Interchangeable parts are parts ( components ) that are identical for practical purposes. They are made to specifications that ensure that they are so nearly identical that they will fit into any assembly of the same type. One such part can freely replace another, without any custom fitting, such as filing . This interchangeability allows easy assembly of new devices, and easier repair of existing devices, while minimizing both

2937-944: The Slingsby Firefly , as at one time used by the United States Air Force Academy , and the Scottish Aviation Bulldogs of the RAF. The U.S. replaced the Firefly and the Enhanced Flight Screen Program (EFSP) with the Diamond DA20 and the Initial Flight Training (IFT) program. At the end of this stage, pilot trainees are assessed and those who pass advance to the full pilot training program. Those who are judged unsuitable for

3026-551: The counter-insurgency and airborne forward air control role. Most advanced trainers are capable of carrying and delivering war loads. However, most of these aircraft do not have the counter measures and sensors required to survive alone in a modern high intensity war fighting scenario, for example being vulnerable to MANPADS . However, they may still have a war fighting role in low intensity theatres if operated in conjunction with more capable aircraft. Historically many jet trainers were marketed with specialised attack variants e.g.

3115-402: The stall characteristics of the Provost were relatively gentle, it was also quite easy to recover from a spin . The self-centering stick is relatively sensitive during flight, flying pilots had to be aware of this during landing to ensure that the tail is not raised too high for the propeller arc; however, it could be readily trimmed for hands-off flight. Recovery from a spin was achieved by

3204-501: The 1930s, many of the initial aircraft were designed with a dual role, so that when they were obsolete in their combat role they would be used as trainers. By World War II, however, their needs exceeded what could be spared from production and although using a number of purpose built designs such as the Bücker Bü 131 , relied largely on captured aircraft and obsolete combat types. The United States armed forces standardized on three types –

3293-588: The 1960s with the Central Navigation & Control School (later Central Air Traffic Control School) at RAF Shawbury , the last example being retired during 1969. Several retired airframes were renumbered with maintenance serials and used for training of airframe and engine tradesmen. At least five Percival Provost have survived as civilian aircraft. The first export order was placed in May 1953 by Southern Rhodesia , for four T.1 aircraft which were designated

3382-533: The 1960s, when Alfred P. Sloan published his famous memoir and management treatise, My Years with General Motors , even the long-time president and chair of the largest manufacturing enterprise that had ever existed knew very little about the history of the development, other than to say that: [ Henry M. Leland was], I believe, one of those mainly responsible for bringing the technique of interchangeable parts into automobile manufacturing. […] It has been called to my attention that Eli Whitney, long before, had started

3471-610: The Provost entered service with the RAF, the first batch of aircraft were delivered to the Central Flying School (CFS) at RAF South Cerney . The CFS carried out intensive flight trials in May and June 1953 prior to instructor training commencing. The Provost was more capable than the Prentice it replaced, which allowed students to move straight on to the De Havilland Vampire after completing training on

3560-618: The Provost had replaced the older Prentice in RAF service entirely. Starting during 1956, the type began to be issued to several University Air Squadrons , the first of these being the Queen's University Air Squadron , Belfast in January 1956. The last RAF production aircraft was delivered in April 1956. The aircraft served with the RAF until the early 1960s, when it was replaced by the newer Jet Provost. A few Provosts continued in service throughout

3649-563: The Provost. On 1 July 1953, 6 Flying Training School at RAF Ternhill started to re-equip with the Provost. The first pupil training course to use the Provost started in October 1953. No. 22 Flying Training School at RAF Syerston was the next to convert and it was followed by 2 FTS at RAF Cluntoe , Northern Ireland, 3 FTS at RAF Feltwell and then the Royal Air Force College at RAF Cranwell . By September 1954,

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3738-539: The RAF planned to use pairs of gun- and AIM-9 Sidewinder -armed Hawk trainers in the point defence role. Each pair of Hawks was to be teamed with a Phantom FGR.2 , in effect using the Phantoms as an Airborne Early Warning and Control system. Although never tested it was believed that the Hawk, combined with AIM-9L and flown by some of the best pilots in the RAF including those from the Red Arrows , would have made

3827-540: The T-44A Pegasus variant of the Beechcraft King Air . Once they have mastered this, they may begin to fly in the right-hand seat of an operational type. Some air forces will seek to use a restricted number of multi-engined aircraft, with the derivatives of a basic aircraft filling different roles so that a pilot qualified on one of its types can easily convert to others in the same family. For example,

3916-617: The T.51. Later, the Royal Rhodesian Air Force followed with an order for twelve armed trainers, designated the T.52, which were delivered in 1955. In January 1954, the Irish Air Corps ordered four T.51 aircraft and in 1960, a further order for six armed T.53 variants. In 1954, the Burmese Air Force also ordered 12 armed T.53 variants and eventually operated a total of 40 aircraft. In May 1957,

4005-741: The Tornado, the operational conversion unit (OCU) aircraft can be created by duplicating flight controls in the rear cockpit. In a normally single-seat aircraft, a second cockpit can be built behind the original cockpit (e.g. the TA-4S variant of the A-4SU Super Skyhawk ) or the cockpit can be extended to place the instructor in a second seat behind the pilot. Once they are qualified to fly a specific type of aircraft, pilots will continue with regular training exercises to maintain qualifications on that aircraft and to improve their skills, for example

4094-516: The US, Eli Whitney saw the potential benefit of developing "interchangeable parts" for the firearms of the United States military. In July 1801 he built ten guns, all containing the same exact parts and mechanisms, then disassembled them before the United States Congress . He placed the parts in a mixed pile and, with help, reassembled all of the firearms in front of Congress, much as Blanc had done some years before. The Congress

4183-451: The USAF's Red Flag exercises. Deployments of small flights of aircraft together with support staff and equipment to exercises conducted by other nations can be used to develop fighting skills and interservice and inter unit competitions in bombing and gunnery between units can also be used to develop those skills. The two-seat aircraft may itself become the basis of an operational aircraft,

4272-641: The United States began its own training program, using Curtiss JN-4s and Standard J-1s . In Germany, various obsolete two seaters were produced for training purposes, the most numerous being the Albatros C.III . Between the World Wars, purpose built trainers covering a variety of specialties largely replaced obsolete types in the Western armed forces, including aircraft specifically for bombing and gunnery and navigational training. When Germany began rearming in

4361-470: The United States were first developed in the nineteenth century. The term American system of manufacturing was sometimes applied to them at the time, in distinction from earlier methods. Within a few decades such methods were in use in various countries, so American system is now a term of historical reference rather than current industrial nomenclature. Evidence of the use of interchangeable parts can be traced back over two thousand years to Carthage in

4450-435: The accomplishments of the system was that solid-cast cannons were bored to precise tolerances, which allowed the walls to be thinner than cannons poured with hollow cores. However, because cores were often off-center, the wall thickness determined the size of the bore. Standardized boring made for shorter cannons without sacrificing accuracy and range because of the tighter fit of the shells ; it also allowed standardization of

4539-446: The aid of filing jigs." Historians differ over the question of whether Hall or North made the crucial improvement. Merrit Roe Smith believes that it was done by Hall. Muir demonstrates the close personal ties and professional alliances between Simeon North and neighbouring mechanics mass-producing wooden clocks to argue that the process for manufacturing guns with interchangeable parts was most probably devised by North in emulation of

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4628-580: The aircraft cabin and do not require a direct view of the landscape over which the aircraft is flying. The operators of airborne weapons or radar-related systems can be similarly trained, either in training aircraft or in an operational aircraft during training flights. Some jet trainers , such as the Aermacchi MB-339 , Casa C-101 , Folland Gnat , Fouga Magister and British Aerospace Hawk , are used by national formation aerobatic teams. Early jet aerobatic teams tended to use combat types such as

4717-514: The aircraft or as external pods. The trend of programmable electronic systems and datalinks is likely to continue with the possibility that ground-based radar systems and processing systems will allow advanced training aircraft to function as if they truly had onboard radar systems, with the cockpit closely replicating the look and feel of an air force's more capable aircraft for maximum familiarity. Programmable engine management and fly-by-wire flight control systems will allow an aircraft to mimic

4806-570: The attention of the United States' Ambassador to France, Thomas Jefferson , through the efforts of Honoré Blanc. Jefferson tried unsuccessfully to persuade Blanc to move to America, then wrote to the American Secretary of War with the idea, and when he returned to the USA he worked to fund its development. President George Washington approved of the concept, and in 1798 Eli Whitney signed a contract to mass-produce 12,000 muskets built under

4895-606: The availability of high performance turboprops, basic training was conducted with jet aircraft such as the BAC Jet Provost , T-37 Tweet , and Fouga Magister . Those candidates who are not suitable to continue training as fast jet pilots may be offered flying commissions and be trained to fly multi-engined aircraft. Those that progress to training for fast jet flying will then progress to an advanced trainer, typically capable of high subsonic speeds, high-energy manoeuvers, and equipped with systems that simulate modern weapons and surveillance. Examples of such jet trainer aircraft include

4984-429: The blocks to ensure alignment throughout the process. One of the many advantages of this new method was the increase in labour productivity due to the less labour-intensive requirements of managing the machinery. Richard Beamish, assistant to Brunel's son and engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel , wrote: So that ten men, by the aid of this machinery, can accomplish with uniformity, celerity and ease, what formerly required

5073-457: The cockpit. The Provost had a roll rate and handling similar to the best fighters upon entering service, it was also known for its rapid rate of climb and generous power provision from its engine. Its performance level has been contrasted to that of aerobatic aircraft , which strongly appealed to some instructor-pilots, although it was deemed to be somewhat excessive for general flying purposes. According to aviation periodical Flight International ,

5162-672: The construction of prototypes to both companies. On 13 January 1950, Percival was received its contract for a pair of prototypes, both of which being powered by the Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah engine. Additionally, the company decided to construct a third prototype, powered by the more powerful Alvis Leonides Mk 25 radial engine . On 24 February 1950, the Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah-powered prototype serial number WE522 performed its maiden flight . Months later, an extensive evaluation

5251-485: The controls are reportedly well-harmonised in general. Landing the Provost is also relatively easy, being aided by a high level of external visibility for the pilot, a low tendency to float prior to round-out, and fairly low viable approach speeds; it also possesses good side-slip capabilities. The three-piece canopy was designed for good crashworthiness and to facilitate instrument flying training in daylight, via extendible amber screens and blue-tinted goggles to prevent

5340-504: The development of interchangeable parts in connection with the manufacture of guns, a fact which suggests a line of descent from Whitney to Leland to the automobile industry. One of the better-known books on the subject, which was first published in 1984 and has enjoyed a readership beyond academia, has been David A. Hounshell 's From the American System to Mass Production, 1800–1932: The Development of Manufacturing Technology in

5429-400: The docks by introducing power-driven machinery and reorganising the dockyard system. Marc Brunel, a pioneering engineer, and Maudslay, a founding father of machine tool technology who had developed the first industrially practical screw-cutting lathe in 1800 which standardized screw thread sizes for the first time, collaborated on plans to manufacture block-making machinery; the proposal

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5518-819: The flight characteristics of frontline aircraft with actual performance being restricted to a pilot's level of ability, with more power and greater agility becoming available as a pilot's skill improves. Training is now also carried out on ground-based simulators. Early trainers were often sport aircraft or obsolete combat aircraft. The French used a graduated system in which a pilot learned in progressively more capable aircraft, starting with aircraft that had been modified to prevent them from flying – called rouleurs or penguins. Pilots who had mastered ground handling would then graduate to lower powered two seaters, before finishing on obsolete fighters. The supply of obsolete aircraft proved inadequate and production of Caudron G.III , Nieuport 83 and other types specifically for training

5607-416: The instructor and the instructor to correct the student pilot. The tandem configuration has the advantage of being closer to the normal working environment that a fast jet pilot is likely to encounter. It is now the norm for pilots to begin their flight training in an aircraft with side-by-side seating and to progress to aircraft with tandem seating. This, however, has not always been the case. For example, it

5696-457: The interchangeable system were Singer Corporation sewing machine (1860s-70s), reaper manufacturer McCormick Harvesting Machine Company (1870s–1880s) and several large steam engine manufacturers such as Corliss (mid-1880s) as well as locomotive makers. Typewriters followed some years later. Then large scale production of bicycles in the 1880s began to use the interchangeable system. During these decades, true interchangeability grew from

5785-792: The invention of several machine tools , such as the slide rest lathe , screw-cutting lathe , turret lathe , milling machine and metal planer . Additional innovations included jigs for guiding the machine tools, fixtures for holding the workpiece in the proper position, and blocks and gauges to check the accuracy of the finished parts. Electrification allowed individual machine tools to be powered by electric motors, eliminating line shaft drives from steam engines or water power and allowing higher speeds, making modern large-scale manufacturing possible. Modern machine tools often have numerical control (NC) which evolved into CNC (computerized numeric control) when microprocessors became available. Methods for industrial production of interchangeable parts in

5874-443: The job training to pilots who have graduated to this level, and are usually available with little conversion in times of emergency to a reconnaissance or combat role. Most operational conversion aircraft retain the full functionality of the operational version with slight degradations to performance due to increased weight and drag, and possibly reduced range due to a reduced internal fuel load. In some two-seat fighter aircraft such as

5963-494: The machine tools and manufacturing practices required would be a great expense to the U.S. Ordnance Department , and for some years while trying to achieve interchangeability, the firearms produced cost more to manufacture. By 1853, there was evidence that interchangeable parts, then perfected by the Federal Armories, led to savings. The Ordnance Department freely shared the techniques used with outside suppliers. In

6052-445: The majority of which being set on the central console positioned between the two seats. According to author David Ogilvy, the complexity of the cockpit was a deliberate design choice; contrary to earlier trainer aircraft, which were typically simplified so students would find them easy to fly, the Provost intentionally exposed beginners to an advanced environment more representative of the varied tasks of aircraft operations. During 1953,

6141-608: The management of (and with contributions by) Brigadier-General Sir Samuel Bentham , the Inspector General of Naval Works at Portsmouth Block Mills , Portsmouth Dockyard , Hampshire , England. At the time, the Napoleonic War was at its height, and the Royal Navy was in a state of expansion that required 100,000 pulley blocks to be manufactured a year. Bentham had already achieved remarkable efficiency at

6230-710: The most demanding aircraft. For example, in the Italian Air Force a pilot may begin his service career on the AMX attack aircraft, and as their experience grows, progress to more capable aircraft such as the Tornado IDS . Other air forces, such as Canada, do not do this, and assign first-tour pilots to aircraft such as the CF-18 Hornet . Those pilots who train to fly transports, tankers and other multi-engine aircraft begin with small multi-engine aircraft such as

6319-527: The new system. Between 4th July 1793 and 25th November 1795, the London gunsmith Henry Nock delivered 12,010 'screwless' or ' Duke's ' locks to the British Board of Ordnance . These locks were intended to be interchangeable, being manufactured in large volumes in a steam-powered factory using gauges and lathes. Subsequent experiments have suggested that the lock's components were interchangeable at

6408-488: The newly formed Sudan Air Force ordered four T.53 armed variant; two were lost in accidents shortly after delivery, a further three were bought in 1959, followed by five former RAF aircraft. Former RAF aircraft were delivered to Royal Air Force of Oman as armed T.52 variants. In 1955, the Royal Iraqi Air Force ordered 15 armed Provost T.53s, with the first delivered in May 1955. The final export customer

6497-457: The pupil seeing outside the cockpit, while the instructor (wearing no goggles) could see through the amber panels. The Provost was also equipped with then-modern very high frequency (VHF) radio aids, which enabled pilots to conduct landings through cloud cover using a Ground Controlled Approach ; this better enabled the training of pilots to fly in cloudy conditions and to navigate at night. The majority of controls are logically grouped together,

6586-597: The second seat being used to create a weapons officer or navigators station in aircraft with originally only a pilot, for example the F-15E Strike Eagle is a development of the F-15D which is a two-seat training version of the F-15 Eagle . In some air forces that have a mix of high- and low-performance aircraft, pilots can be first be assigned to aircraft with a lower level of performance before moving on to

6675-590: The shells. Before the 18th century, devices such as guns were made one at a time by gunsmiths in a unique manner. If one single component of a firearm needed a replacement, the entire firearm either had to be sent to an expert gunsmith for custom repairs, or discarded and replaced by another firearm. During the 18th and early-19th centuries, the idea of replacing these methods with a system of interchangeable manufacture gradually developed. The development took decades and involved many people. Gribeauval provided patronage to Honoré Blanc , who attempted to implement

6764-488: The successful methods used in mass-producing clocks. It may not be possible to resolve the question with absolute certainty unless documents now unknown should surface in the future. Skilled engineers and machinists, many with armoury experience, spread interchangeable manufacturing techniques to other American industries, including clockmakers and sewing machine manufacturers Wilcox and Gibbs and Wheeler and Wilson, who used interchangeable parts before 1860. Late to adopt

6853-878: The supersonic Northrop T-38 Talon , Boeing–Saab T-7 Red Hawk , the BAE Hawk , the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet , the Aero L-39 and Aero L-159 , the Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master , the KAI T-50 Golden Eagle , the Guizhou JL-9 and the Yakovlev Yak-130 . Effective combat aircraft are a function now of electronics as much as, if not more so than, the aerobatic ability or speed of an aircraft. It

6942-438: The time and skill required of the person doing the assembly or repair. The concept of interchangeability was crucial to the introduction of the assembly line at the beginning of the 20th century, and has become an important element of some modern manufacturing but is missing from other important industries. Interchangeability of parts was achieved by combining a number of innovations and improvements in machining operations and

7031-722: The uncertain labour of one hundred and ten. By 1808, annual production had reached 130,000 blocks and some of the equipment was still in operation as late as the mid-twentieth century. Eli Terry was using interchangeable parts using a milling machine as early as 1800. Ward Francillon, a horologist, concluded in a study that Terry had already accomplished interchangeable parts as early as 1800. The study examined several of Terry's clocks produced between 1800–1807. The parts were labelled and interchanged as needed. The study concluded that all clock pieces were interchangeable. The very first mass production using interchangeable parts in America

7120-401: Was Eli Terry 's 1806 Porter Contract, which called for the production of 4000 clocks in three years. During this contract, Terry crafted four-thousand wooden gear tall case movements, at a time when the annual average was about a dozen. Unlike Eli Whitney , Terry manufactured his products without government funding. Terry saw the potential of clocks becoming a household object. With the use of

7209-408: Was a generous provision of access hatches in the fuselage. Production aircraft were powered by a single Alvis Leonides 25 engine, capable of providing up to 550 hp (410 kW); the performance of this engine meant that Provost was roughly twice as powerful as the preceding Percival Prentice. The engine operated smoothly across various speeds and produced relatively low noise levels from within

7298-602: Was amongst those companies that decided to produce a response, their design has been attributed to the Polish -born aeronautical engineer , Henry Millicer (Millicer later moved to Australia , where he designed the award-winning Victa Airtourer light aircraft). After reviewing the numerous submissions, the Air Ministry selected a pair of designs, the Percival P.56 and the Handley Page H.P.R. 2 , and issued contracts for

7387-468: Was captivated and ordered a standard for all United States equipment. The use of interchangeable parts removed the problems of earlier eras concerning the difficulty or impossibility of producing new parts for old equipment. If one firearm part failed, another could be ordered, and the firearm would not need to be discarded. The catch was that Whitney's guns were costly and handmade by skilled workmen. Charles Fitch credited Whitney with successfully executing

7476-570: Was performed of the Provost prototypes, which was flown head-to-head with the rival H.P.R. 2 at RAF Boscombe Down ; it also underwent tropical trials overseas. Reportedly, feedback from trials was largely favourable, especially of its handling characteristics, with only minor refinements being recommended. Ultimately, the Leonides-powered P.56 was selected for production as the Provost T.1 ; on 29 May 1951, an initial order for 200 aircraft

7565-511: Was placed. During 1961, production of the type was terminated, by which point a total of 461 aircraft had reportedly been completed. The Percival Provost eventually formed the basis for a jet -powered derivative, the Jet Provost , which ultimately succeeded the piston-engined Provost as the principal training platform of the RAF. The Provost was an all-metal, single-engined, two-seat monoplane, featuring fixed conventional landing gear with

7654-571: Was submitted to the Admiralty who agreed to commission his services. By 1805, the dockyard had been fully updated with the revolutionary, purpose-built machinery at a time when products were still built individually with different components. A total of 45 machines were required to perform 22 processes on the blocks, which could be made in three different sizes. The machines were almost entirely made of metal, thus improving their accuracy and durability. The machines would make markings and indentations on

7743-666: Was the Royal Malaysian Air Force , who obtained 24 T.51 trainers between 1961 and 1968. In 1968, Rhodesia obtained further aircraft using a convoluted route to circumvent an arms embargo . Data from World Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, and Military Aircraft of the World General characteristics Performance Armament Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists Trainer aircraft Civilian pilots are normally trained in

7832-649: Was undertaken. In the United Kingdom, a different training system was used, although it too started out with obsolete aircraft before the Avro 504 and Airco DH.6 became the primary trainers, supplemented until the end of the First World War with obsolete combat aircraft for advanced training. To train the many potential aviators coming from Canada and the US, the Royal Flying Corps Canada was set up, operating Curtiss JN-4 (Can) trainers until

7921-669: Was usual to find tandem seating in biplane basic trainers such as the Tiger Moth and the Jungmann , and the British used side-by-side seating in the operational conversion of some of its fast jets such as the English Electric Lightning . Given the expense of military pilot training, air forces typically conduct training in phases to eliminate unsuitable candidates. The cost to those air forces that do not follow

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